Tarmac Rallying Perpetual Thread

[t01-100]

On station here at MT Buller... little chilly, but the forcast is looking like hi-20s for the weekend.

[Darkside]

Best of luck to all those having a crack over the weekend. Have a fast and safe one. Appreciate any updates from on the ground.

[Targa Tom]

YT Blazes to the front!!!....

[sav man]

great effort from YT to drive 1/2 of Buller with the car on fire.

Edited November 6, 2011 by sav man

[Snowman]

Definitely made for a funny phone call with Wooster.

"Here comes YT - he's on fire. But like actually the whole back of the car is on fire!"

And for anyone wondering I got a message last night from Kat saying Paul was air-lifted to Melbourne due to back soreness but he was ok. She was fine too.

[Marlin]

I'm very very pleased it appears they're both ok.

And yes, YT and Big John, bloody awesome! Big John told YT not to stop, get to the top and worry about it then he reckoned! Lol

[sav man]

So was that your old car in the bad crash snowy?

[Snowman]

Unfortunately yes it was.

[N1GTR]

What happened exactly?

As long as he is ok that's the main thing

[paulR32gtr]

Appreciate the concern guys! Just checked out of hospital will give a run down soon

[Ant97GTR]

Sorry to hear Paul

Glad everyone is OK.

[Roy]

Gutted to hear Paul. But main thing is you checked out and all is ok.

In happier news my friend Greg won Late Classic Handicapped by a mammoth 1 second. Nice guy and good to see him get a result in crazy seat of the lil 200hp RX7

http://www.rallyresults.com.au/targa/THC2011/LateClassicF.pdf

[paulR32gtr]

Home now, short one beast of a tarmac rally R34 I feel the need to apologise to Snowy for the time, effort and dollars put into building what up until yesterday was simply an amazing machine to drive around those roads. It all makes sense out there - it just ran so bloody well.

Day one we started off slowly and only really found our feet after lunch. Were pretty organised with fuel loads which, not that we realised, had translated to some good times. Were surprised to see us settle at 5th EM once we finished our run up Buller. Didn't look at times all day really which was my downfall for day two.

Day two we weren't as organised with fuel loads, had it full to start the day off. We were pretty slow through Jamieson and Big River after which we filled up again from our Jerry's just to make life easy against what I originally planned. Skyline 1 we were pretty slow as well as expected. We should have run lighter and used race fuels a bit more to get us through. We cut 10 seconds off for Skyline 2 and I burned off a lot more in transport so we could go quick through Eildon and back to the finish.

Unfortunately against all quality advice from Capt. Fathom I was getting a little obsessed with results, and was seeing red. We were smashing Eildon up to the point where Kat called a 5R > 3 (1-6 notes) and I was just overheated, I didn't really register the > 3 and thought I was still in the 5 bit until it was too late.

Don't have the video yet but around the 3 I *think* we dropped the nose into the ditch and hit the embankment, did at least a 180 (could have been 540) and rolled a few times, I hit my head and blacked out and came to drivers side down. Adrenaline kicked in, managed to shove the passenger door open and push Kat up and out then climb out. Some other very nice people arrived and helped to slow traffic and with fire extinguishers.

Had a seat as the FIV's arrived, felt alright for a while but once the Ambos got there I started blacking out again. Have a pretty decent lump on my head and badly bruised ribs - Kat was feeling fine bar some whip lash.

Kat was dropped at Alexandra hospital and I got airlifted to Royal Melbourne for CT, x-ray and ultra sounds. They had me on bloody spinal precautions so I spent the last 18 odd hours on my back waiting for them to sign off that I was ok. No broken bones between either off us just a bit sore, the safety setup worked wonders - the Doctors were all gobsmacked.

So need to work out what to do with the wreck, we are both keen to track down another shell and build it up to the same setup. Just need to find somewhere we can strip it. Sad times indeed.

[Darkside]

Sorry to hear that Paul, but glad to hear you are both ok. Testament to the build quality of the car and the rest of the gear you were both wearing. And thanks for sharing as I think your very honest appraisal of how it went wrong may save others from finding themselves in the same situation. Really hope to see you find a new shell and build SMAUG version 3.0 and continue the adventure.

[Snowman]

Mate - I'm just glad both you and Kat are as sound as you are after such an experience. I know I'm wrapped to hear you're both doing so well.

I guess most credit must go to the cage building skills down at Meridian. It certainly sounds like it's done its job well and I'm now super glad I had them build it to the level they did.

[paulR32gtr]

Really hope to see you find a new shell and build SMAUG version 3.0 and continue the adventure.

Cheers Blaise. Yeah might be a little while coming but we will get back out there - a little wiser!

I guess most credit must go to the cage building skills down at Meridian. It certainly sounds like it's done its job well and I'm now super glad I had them build it to the level they did.

True that. The cabin shape remained pretty much fully intact . . . would post a photo but it will hurt too many people I think.

[N1GTR]

Holy shit. Sounds like a total wreck. Did it end up on its wheels when you came to or was it upside down?

Getting out of that would've been one scary experience not knowing if you or Kat were injured!

[Kiska]

Hi it's Kat here. Thanks to everyone for the kind words!

The car was on the driver's door across the road on a blind corner, so it really was a mad rush to get out of the car before another car cleaned us up. We didn't really get a chance to think of injuries but I'm sure if it was bad we would've known if we had any bad ones

The build quality of the roll cage and the car itself is what saved us no doubt.

Snowman, you did a fantastic job on the car and we are very sorry that we couldn't enjoy it for longer. I had complete confidence in the car's and Paul's abilities right up until we hit the enbankment.

We will definately be back at some stage, it's too much fun to give up!

[R31Nismoid]

Glad to hear both of you not only walked away, but with very little injury realistically.

Tough to post a recount of it no doubt.

Bummer bout the car though, but then it can be reborn should you want

[Roy]

... we are both keen to track down another shell and build it up to the same setup. Just need to find somewhere we can strip it.

We will definately be back at some stage, it's too much fun to give up!

Well after enduring about the worst kind of weekend imaginable, it is great to read those sorts of comments. Champs!

I have always said all the great love the taste of armco. I know its part of my annual diet